Washday as we knew it in and around the 30s and 40s

          They were busy days on the go from morning to night.

          That was not just Mother we the family all had a job to do.

          We were a big family so there was a lot of washing to do

          Early morning the fire under the set pot was lit and the boiler was filled with water, this was done by the man of the house, if there was no school the older children were all given a job to do.

There was the eternal washing up as the kitchen needed to be cleared of all surplus bits and pieces; Mother needed the space to work.

This was a whole week wash (very little washing out was done in those days) the dirty clothes were sorted into piles on the kitchen floor or the wash house floor.

Very dirty, less dirty, dark coloured or otherwise and so on until Mother was satisfied the process would not be delayed.

By this time the water was hot, this was ladled into a large zinc tub (dolly tub) there was no washing power as we know them today so the contents of the wash tub had to be soaped by hand.

Bending down over the tub of washing was excruciating not just once but several times.

Collars cuffs and any grubby places then the posser was used to agitate the clothes sometimes the Peggy stick was used.

This was of wooden construction about 12” high, it had three legs a long upright handle then there was the cross bar which formed the handle.

A few minutes to the right and the same to the left this did give the washing a good do!!!!!!!!

When the time was right this washing was put through the mangle and fell through to the back into a tub of cold water.

All the clothes were turned inside out as this was a must, then two more rinses and the final one being the dolly blue.

All the clothes were folded whilst waiting to be hung out to dry the rest you can imagine.

Thank goodness for school days away from it all!!!!!!!!